For a small, rural corner of Colorado, Cortez has a reputation as a popular place for veterans.
To get both a bird’s-eye view and a boots-on-the-ground look at the county’s veteran population, there may be no better person to ask than Travis Parker, County Veteran Service Officer. On Aug. 11, Parker gave a presentation to the Montezuma County Board of County Commissioners on local services for veterans.
It’s important to remember, however, that the county office is just one resource among many. There’s also the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5231, the American Legion Ute Mountain Post 75 and the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 44, each offering community and a range of support for service members. Along with the Veteran Services office, they form a tight-knit nexus for veterans.
“We talk probably daily,” John Davis, the VFW Post 5231 quartermaster and adjutant, said of Parker. “He refers veterans to me that need help,” said Davis, who is also an Air Force veteran and former Army Guard service member.
Davis called Parker a sort of “tip of the spear for us,” mainly because of the essential ties the county officer maintains with the VA and his ability to file claims.
Claims and more, Parker walked the commissioners through the numbers on Aug. 11.
Zooming out statewide, about 7% of Colorado’s residents are veterans. By contrast, Montezuma County has a notably higher rate, at a little over 9.4%. That’s about 2,400 veterans out of a county numbering about 26,500 people, based on 2023 U.S. Census data.
Parker called that number “woefully low,” estimating that there’s likely closer to 3,000 veterans in the county.
For those few thousand veterans, the county’s Veteran Services office exists to aid in everything from obtaining a disabled veteran license plate, to tracking down military records and tapping into VA health care.
As for the county’s cost of servicing those veterans, this year’s budget is $57,230, but only about 36% of that money has been used so far, up to July’s end, Parker said.
“It’s been busy,” said Parker, who has been in the position for eight months. This year already, the office held over 850 appointments by the end of July, with 51 outreach events and 28 home visits.
So far this year, the office has had 66 new veteran clients and 21 clients experiencing homelessness, Parker said.
“He’s been doing a good job, if we can recognize his services,” said DAV commander and Air Force veteran Ron Terry. “Luckily we’ve had some really good veteran service officers.”
Parker has also been able to assist 44 veterans with enrolling in VA health care this year, he said.
Last year, the office filed over 350 claims for veterans, Parker said. Out of those, only six outstanding claims remain, with four being widow pensions, Parker said. Already this year, the office has filed close to 250 claims.
As of now, that’s brought a total of close to $3.8 million of indirect income into the county, consisting mostly of disability benefits, but also pensions and surviving spouse payments, Parker said.
Corena Hampton, current president of the American Legion Auxillary to the Ute Mountain Post 75, said that most veterans in the community may not be aware of the resources available for them to access in the area.
Some may not want a hand out, Hampton said. “They want to stand on their own.”
That isn’t stopping the county and its robust veteran community from making veteran services available.
Veteran resources will be on display Sept. 20 at the Montezuma Stand Down for Veterans event, hosted by the VFW Post 5231 in the County Annex building from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. More information can be found on the event’s Facebook page.
“We just want to help them,” said Hampton, a co-coordinator of the Stand Down who’s grandfather fought in World War II. “They served and we want to serve them.”
